Cisco 2503... w/ cable modem

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sdotbrucato

[H]ard|Gawd
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Oct 7, 2005
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Okay well I inherited a Cisco 2503, and I'd like to incoporate this into my home network just for learning and what not. From my understanding it's looking for a WAN on the serial, I was wondering if there is some sort of Serial-to-Ethernet adapter I could buy for it, or if I'm beat on using it as a router.

TIA
 
Those trusty old 2500s can't handle anything above a T1, and even then it's a push :D

Basically, you'll get 2mbps out of it, tops. You can use it for learning purposes but you wouldn't want it as your WAN router. I know this is probably disappointing to hear.

In the future, here is a nice performance guide for cisco routers:
http://www.cisco.com/web/partners/downloads/765/tools/quickreference/routerperformance.pdf

CEF is a mode that runs on the router to make them handle more capacity.
 
wow, that 2503 really isn't useful for much other than to terminate a T1 as mentioned above. You could get an ethernet AUI transceiver and that would let you hook it up to a switch or your current router or something.
 
Yeah I wasnt really expecting much, more for tinkering than anything, I'll look into the ethernet AUI transceiver. thanks
 
You really need like at least a 2514 or was it 2511, that had two Ethernet (AUI) ports. Still only 10mbit. (Yay the day has come that 10mbit is not enough for internet b/w.)
 
extide said:
You really need like at least a 2514 or was it 2511, that had two Ethernet (AUI) ports. Still only 10mbit. (Yay the day has come that 10mbit is not enough for internet b/w.)
Click to expand...

Thank god I can finally second this .... years spent at 1.5/1.0 speeds, I just got my 20/2 cable service and it rocks my world. Apple TV rentals play after about 10 seconds compared to close to two hours on DSL.

Interestingly I had a bunch of problems until I realized that the cable modem sends a dhcp renewal about every 30 minutes which I had blocked in my ACL which made things unhappy, but since then, smooth sailing. IRL I get the full 20 down, and about 1.3 up.
 
Not to hijack the thread, but would there be much advantage to putting a Cable WIC into the router? I have an 1841 with 6 fast Ethernet ports, so it is really cost effective to just use the supplied cable modem. Hopefully with all the heavy routing done by the 1841 the cheap cable modem wont have any issues.
 
archivalbackup said:
Not to hijack the thread, but would there be much advantage to putting a Cable WIC into the router? I have an 1841 with 6 fast Ethernet ports, so it is really cost effective to just use the supplied cable modem. Hopefully with all the heavy routing done by the 1841 the cheap cable modem wont have any issues.
Click to expand...

A cable WIC in a 2500? They don't have slots.

Into an 1841, I'm not sure if you would see much benefit out of it. My ISP doesn't charge for the cable modem, but if they did I'd consider putting one in my 3725.
 
Vito_Corleone said:
A cable WIC in a 2500? They don't have slots.

Into an 1841, I'm not sure if you would see much benefit out of it. My ISP doesn't charge for the cable modem, but if they did I'd consider putting one in my 3725.
Click to expand...

Should have been more clear, I meant for my 1841 ... the Cable Modem WIC is an HWIC which only goes in newer ISR routers such as the 1841. I will have to check and see if I can get a discount from the cable company if I use my own modem, otherwise I will have to compare the queuing features between the two but that is the only difference I can think of. Well that and the huge amount of diagnostic information that I am sure to have access to with a cable HWIC.

For $300+ for the Cable Modem WIC, plus having to run a coax to my networking closet it would be hard to justify.
 
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